Tobi (musician)

Tobi
Birth nameOluwatobi Feyisara Ajibolade
Also known asTobi Aji
Born1993 (age 30–31)
Lagos, Nigeria
OriginBrampton, Ontario, Canada
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
Years active2015–present
Labels
Websitetobi.world

Oluwatobi Feyisara Ajibolade, known professionally as Tobi (stylized as TOBi), is a Nigerian-born Canadian singer and rapper signed to RCA Records and Same Plate Entertainment. He released his debut studio album Still in May 2019, his second album Elements Vol. 1 in 2020, and his third album PANIC in 2023.

Early life and education

[edit]

Oluwatobi Feyisara Ajibolade[1] was born in 1993 in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to Ottawa, Canada with his father when he was 9 years old. He first began writing lyrics and poetry around that time.[2][3] Ajibolade grew up largely in Brampton, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto.[1] As a teenager, he engaged in rap battles, including one with a pre-fame Tory Lanez.[4] He later attended Wilfrid Laurier University where he studied biology and psychology.[2]

Career

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Around 2015, Ajibolade began releasing music using the stage name, "Tobi Aji".[5] In 2016, he began using the moniker, "Tobi" (stylized as TOBi), and independently released an EP titled, FYI.[6] The collection featured the songs, "Indecisions" and "Deeper".[7] A music video for the latter song was released in November 2016.[8] The following month, Tobi released the single, "Libra".[9]

In September 2017, he released the song, "Hidden Fences", which appeared on an episode of the HBO series, Insecure.[10] Another song, "January December", was released in January 2018.[11] Beginning in 2019, Tobi began releasing several new tracks, including "City Blues",[12] "Sweet Poison",[13] and "Werking".[14] Those three songs served as the singles for Tobi's debut studio album, Still, released in May 2019 by RCA Records and Same Plate Entertainment. The album also featured a guest appearance from VanJess on the track, "Come Back Home".[15] A deluxe edition of the album, Still+, was released in April 2020 and included two new songs ("Paid" and "Holiday") and three new remixes.[16] Still+ had guest appearances from The Game, Shad, Haviah Mighty, Kemba, Jazz Cartier, and Ejji Smith.[16]

In October 2020, Tobi released his second studio album, Elements Vol. 1.[17] It won the 2021 Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year,[18] with "Holiday" being nominated for Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year.[19] The music video for his song "24 (Toronto Remix)", directed by Kit Weyman, was longlisted for the 2021 Prism Prize.[20]

In January 2021, he was named one of the winners of SOCAN's inaugural Black Canadian Music Awards alongside Dylan Sinclair, Naya Ali, RAAHiiM and Hunnah.[21]

Elements Vol. 1 was shortlisted for the 2021 Polaris Music Prize.[22]

In 2023, he participated in an all-star recording of Serena Ryder's single "What I Wouldn't Do", which was released as a charity single to benefit Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.[23]

At the Juno Awards of 2024, he won both Rap Album of the Year for Panic, and Rap Single of the Year for "Someone I Knew".[24] Panic was a shortlisted finalist for the 2024 Polaris Music Prize.[25]

Artistry

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In an interview with Afropunk, Tobi cited the work of Gil Scott-Heron, Frank Ocean, Marvin Gaye, Eartha Kitt, Florence and the Machine, and Andre 3000 as inspirations for his own work, particularly his lyrics.[26]

Discography

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Studio albums

[edit]
List of studio albums, with year released and selected details
Title Album details
Still
Elements Vol. 1
  • Released: October 21, 2020
  • Label: RCA, Same Plate
  • Format: Digital download
PANIC
  • Released: October 12, 2023
  • Label: RCA, Same Plate
  • Format: Digital download

Extended plays

[edit]
List of extended plays, with year released and selected details
Title Album details
FYI
  • Released: July 14, 2016
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download

Singles

[edit]
List of singles with selected details
Title Year Album
"Deeper" 2016 FYI
"Indecisions"
"Hidden Fences" 2017 Non-album single
"City Blues" 2019 Still
"Sweet Poison"
"Werking"
"Woah"
(with Jazz Cartier) 		2021 TBA

References

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  1. ^ a b Ryan, Patrick B. (May 6, 2019). "TOBi - Still". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Gracie, Bianca (May 3, 2019). "TOBi's Debut Album 'STILL' Journeys Through the Joy (And Sharp Pains) Of Black Male Vulnerability". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  3. ^ McNeilly, Claudia (May 1, 2019). "Interview: TOBi's search for home". Now Toronto. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  4. ^ Conteh, Mankaprr (May 2, 2019). "tobi's debut album is a message to his teen self". i-D. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  5. ^ Smith, Trevor (May 16, 2015). "TOBi - The 6ick Side". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  6. ^ Tanners, Jon (July 14, 2016). "Get Familiar With Ontario Rapper TOBi on His New "FYi" EP". Pigeons & Planes. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  7. ^ Buck, Courtney (July 22, 2016). "TOBi shares his FYi EP". The 405. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  8. ^ Witmer, Phil (November 24, 2016). "Brampton's TOBi Dances Through the Ferns in His "Deeper" Video". Noisey. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  9. ^ Darville, Jordan (December 1, 2016). "TOBi's "LiBRA" Is Soul That Counts Its Blessings". The Fader. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  10. ^ Goddard, Kevin (September 8, 2017). "TOBi Nabs "Insecure" Placement With New Song "Hidden Fences"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  11. ^ Smith, Trevor (January 20, 2018). "TOBi Shares New Track "January December"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  12. ^ Tambini, Kam (January 18, 2019). "Dive Into TOBi's New Music Video For 'City Blues'". OkayAfrica. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  13. ^ da Costa, Beatriz (March 4, 2019). "TOBi Gets Sweet In New Video For "Sweet Poison"". Vibe. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  14. ^ Espinoza, Joshua (March 27, 2019). "Premiere: TOBi Shares New Single "Werking"". Complex. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  15. ^ Higgins, Keenan (May 3, 2019). "Meet TOBi: Your Next International Hip-Hop Soul Music Sensation". The Source. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "TOBi Drops Two New Tracks With Deluxe Album 'STILL+'". HYPEBEAST. April 30, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "'ELEMENTS Vol. 1' Cements TOBi's Status as a Burgeoning Global Superstar | Exclaim!". exclaim.ca. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  18. ^ Holly Gordon and Andrea Warner, "Here are the 2021 Juno Award winners". CBC Music, June 4, 2021.
  19. ^ "2021 Juno Awards nominees: The Weeknd leads the charge". Global News. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  20. ^ "These Are the Top 20 Canadian Music Videos Nominated for the 2021 Prism Prize". Complex. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  21. ^ Brock Thiessen, "Here Are the Winners of the First Black Canadian Music Awards". Exclaim!, January 11, 2021.
  22. ^ David Friend, "Dominique Fils-Aimé, Mustafa, and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson are among the 10 artists shortlisted for this year's Polaris Music Prize". Toronto Star, July 15, 2021.
  23. ^ Brent Furdyk, "Feel Out Loud: Alessia Cara, Serena Ryder & More Canadian Artists Collaborate On New Single Promoting Youth Mental Health Initiative". Entertainment Tonight Canada, March 2, 2023.
  24. ^ "Junos 2024: full list of winners". CBC Music, March 23, 2024.
  25. ^ David Friend, "Calgary rock project Cindy Lee among acts shortlisted for Polaris Music Prize". Global News, July 12, 2024.
  26. ^ Erin White. (February 5, 2019). Interview: TOBi Talks Poetry, Hypocrisy & Self-ReflectionAFROPUNK. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
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